The Los Angeles Dodgers snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating the Minnesota Twins, 7-2, enduring inclement weather and a 1-hour and 28-minute rain delay along the way.
Andrew Heaney was impressive in his Dodgers debut as he collected five strikeouts and allowed just one unearned run over 4.1 innings. While Heaney kept the Twins off balance with a steady dose of his sweeping breaking ball, Carlos Correa went 2-for-2 with two doubles.
Heaney stranded Correa both times, and nearly did so when Max Kepler led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a double. However, Trea Turner stumbled after fielding a routine ground ball and sent an underhanded toss over Gavin Lux’s head to bring in the tying run.
Chris Archer didn’t allow a baserunner until Lux’s double to right-center field with two outs in the third inning. However, nothing came of it, nor when Freddie Freeman led off the fourth inning by going to the opposite field for a double.
Swinging in the rain. pic.twitter.com/jZE4sbqm9j
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 13, 2022
Archer was removed after throwing 63 pitches over four scoreless innings.
The pitching change was beneficial for the Dodgers as Cody Bellinger drew a one-out walk in the fifth inning and promptly stole second base. Chris Taylor later walked and combined with Bellinger for a double steal. Lux’s sacrifice fly gave L.A. a lead that was short-lived.
The Dodgers broke the tie in the eighth inning after back-to-back walks by Mookie Betts and Freeman set the table for Turner. His chopper to third base went under Luis Arraez’s glove and carried into left field for a go-ahead RBI single that also extended Turner’s career-best hitting streak to 23 games (dates back to last season).
Following a Max Muncy walk that loaded the bases, Justin Turner lined an RBI single into right field. Will Smith added a two-run double to provide more insurance, another run scored on an error, and Lux contributed with an RBI base hit to complete the six-run inning.
That was then followed by a lengthy rain delay and per current MLB rules, because the visiting team took a lead in the inning play was suspended, the home team needed their opportunity to bat.
The Twins wound up scoring a run off Garrett Cleavinger but never drew any closer.
Kershaw tries to lead Dodgers to sweep
Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to make his regular season debut Wednesday afternoon. A victory will give the Dodgers a sweep of the Twins and winning record on their road trip.
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